Dentist's brush with law may be wiped clean

By John Nickerson, Staff Writer

Published 9:42 pm, Monday, August 31, 2009

NORWALK -- A prominent city dentist accused of keying his neighbor's new BMW was granted a court diversionary program for first offenders Tuesday that could wipe away a charge of second-degree criminal mischief.

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Barnett, a chiropractor who lives next to Druks in Weston, was so angry about the vandalism that in 2008 he began filming his car in its parking place when he went to work at his 111 East Ave. office.

On April 3 the video cam stakeout on his 2008 BMW X5 paid off.

Barnett, who showed the recording to The Advocate, said the April 3 footage shows Druks, who works at a nearby office building, walking to the rear door of the car and gouging the paint with an object in his hand.

Though Druks can clearly be seen walking up to the car, the camera is blocked from showing what he is doing with his hands while his body weaves to the right and left before walking away.

Barnett told Kaplan he gave Druks a second chance when he called Druks two years ago to ask if he had done anything to his car when it was keyed in February 2008. Druks denied involvement.

Barnett said the vandalism did not stop and Druks will probably break the law again and prove he is not the type of person who will benefit from the diversionary program.

Assistant State's Attorney Mary SanAngelo also objected to Druks getting the program, saying he wasn't caught until the eighth incident.

Kaplan, however, said that in view of Druks' age and clean record he would grant him the program, which will last 18 months.

If Druks breaks no law during that period, stays away from Barnett and his property and pays for $1,128 in damage to the vehicle, the charges will be erased.

Dulberg said Druks denied involvement in the incidents and said that accepting the accelerated rehabilitation program is not an admission of guilt but is an opportunity to keep a clean record.